JUST 18 months out from the introduction of a national emissions trading scheme, uncertainty still overrides the debate over how the scheme will directly, and indirectly, affect some of Western Australia's largest businesses.
THE controversy over lead exports from Esperance may have attracted intense public focus over the past two years, but a potentially larger commercial issue that remains unresolved is the future of bulk nickel concentrate exports.
SOME of the state's largest greenhouse gas emitters have called for a moderate introduction of the emissions trading scheme to protect the country's emissions-intensive, trade-exposed industries.
THE state's largest electricity retailer is strongly advocating the introduction of advanced metering, in-home displays and critical peak pricing so customers are provided with immediate price signals to modify their behaviour and energy use habits.
SOUTH African-owned engineering consultancy TWP Australia is the latest company to lay off Perth staff, admitting to shedding workers due to decisions by clients in an environment where some project work is stalling.
PREMIER Colin Barnett is known to be fond of big, regional projects that offer sweeping vision and the prospect of unlocking value for future generations.
THE federal government is pinning too much hope on successful commercialisation of carbon capture and storage technology, the WA Business News emissions trading forum has heard.
THE chairman of Western Australia’s newest electricity generator believes the federal bureaucrats charged with shaping Australia’s low-carbon future should pay close attention to the achievements of N
A wholly-owned subsidiary of ANZ Banking Group has offered to pay $130 million for Babcock & Brown Power's interests in two Western Australian power stations.
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The value of BHP Billiton's Ravensthorpe and Yabulu nickel operations have been written down by $US2.1 billion ($A3.3 billion), which equates to three quarters of its total investments in the related projects.
Finland-based company Poyry has been awarded more than $5 million worth of engineering work for Woodside Petroleum's Pluto liquefied natural gas project.
Petroleum company Royal Dutch Shell has reportedly agreed to sell an annual 2 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas over a 20-year period to a Chinese company, with the undeveloped Gorgon project in Western Australia to be tapped for supplies.
Regional power supplier Horizon Power has entered into a 20-year deal with a Canadian company to build a gas-fired power station in the state's north to meet the growing energy needs in the Pilbara.
Falling commodity prices and higher operating costs have forced Russian miner Norilsk Nickel to halt production at two of its Western Australian mines.
The state's mining sector weighed heavily on the market capitalisation of Western Australian stocks, which lost $36 billion during October, a survey has found.
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Cooper Energy has pulled out of the offshore Seruway Production Sharing Contract located in North Sumatra, Indonesia incurring a $19.8 million write-off for the oil producer.
Exploration company Spitfire Resources has finalised its move to take on advanced coal projects in Tasmania with two key exploration licences, covering the Langloh and Avoca thermal coal projects, being granted.
Uranio has acquired a thermal coal project in the Sakoa Basin of Madagascar called Imaloto, plus an associated cash injection worth more than $2 million in a deal with Coal of Africa and Oak Nominees for 50 million shares.
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THE global financial crisis may be pushing down energy prices, but there are concerns that this could ultimately hurt local power users more than benefit them.
